On a chilly spring afternoon, Urban Family caught up with Todd and Posy Pearson and their children Pollyanna (5) and Toby (3) to find out what they love about Shanghai. Todd, (originally from Australia) and Posy (from the UK) met here in Shanghai back in 2005 after both having lived in Asia for a few years. They have made a life here with their delightful children and foresee themselves being here for the long haul. With 11 years under their belts here in Shanghai as a family, the Pearsons’ know what they are talking about. As their sprightly children ran and played on the triangular corner of Dongping Lu, we got a sneak peek of this lovable family in action.
What are your favorite restaurants in Shanghai as a family?
Din Tai Fung has to be our family favorite. We have a bit of a tradition that after Pollyanna’s ballet lessons on Saturday we head there for dumplings. It’s the perfect place to eat with the children and catch up on all that’s happened during the week as a family.
Where do you like to brunch?
Bull & Claw offers the best brunch. The food is so good, the Turkish menemen is amazing and they have a kids’ menu too, which keeps us all happy. There is also a free-flow Prosecco option that you can add-on too, although we rarely get the opportunity!
What is your favorite date-night spot?
Our favorite spot would have to be D.O.C. It’s close to home, we love the menu and it never fails for us. The staff know us so well, it’s just always a really enjoyable evening. Whenever we throw out the idea of trying other options, we always end up coming back to D.O.C. We are a little bit boring like that!
What is your favorite spring activity to do as a family?
That would have to be cruising around the FFC in our Vespa Sidecar—It’s perfect for a family of four. It just makes life so easy on weekends and fun since we can stop along the way to check out anything that we want to explore, or that the children want to look at. It’s really fun and we usually bump into quite a few people that we know along the way. We normally think we’re just going to drive off for a quick ride and a coffee, but it often ends up being the whole day!
Where are your favorite spots to travel inside China?
We haven’t taken the kids to Yangshuo yet, but it used to be one of our favorite go-to places. It’s so beautiful and we’d always get a raft and pay him extra to take us to some of the surrounding villages. There was a French restaurant in town that we’d go to, where we would pack up some cheese and wine for a picnic. We’re sure it’s changed a lot since it’s been a few years but we’d love to go back with the children when we find the time.
Where are your favorite spots to travel outside of China?
With children now, it has to be family friendly places. Since having kids it’s safe to say our holidays have changed a little! Our favorite spot that we always return to is Kyoto in Japan. There is something so magical about it, and so easy to walk around with the children. We don’t get bored of seeing the same places there, it just feels special, we can’t explain it. But if we wanted a place with a beach, then we tend to rent a villa in Phuket.
What are you favorite parks to visit?
We’ve always loved Fuxing Park. It’s so wonderful being able to go there and see a complete contrast to the noisy surroundings – watching the old men playing checkers, people dancing, the groups singing, and (our favorite) the lovely elderly lady taking everyone’s blood pressure and storing the blood pressure monitor in a cigarette carton. She must be famous here! You could never be bored in Fuxing Park and the children love the rides there.
What is your favorite cultural activity in Shanghai?
Not sure this counts as cultural, but one of our favorite activities on a sunny day, especially with visitors, is to take the boat down the river. And once a year we will go to Yu Garden over Chinese New Year and see the lanterns all lit up at night. It’s so fun now that the children are old enough to come with us and enjoy it, and really soak up the Chinese New Year atmosphere. It’s crowded but a fun experience that the children are still talking about after the last visit.
What are the kids’ favorite spots to play?
For playing outdoors they like anywhere that they can scoot! That’s another reason why we love living in the FFC—the pavements, while a little bumpy, are at least not too crowded. But the children spend enough time at school and doing extra activities that we don’t tend to head to many indoor places anymore, so we just really enjoy getting the chance to all be at home together.
What is your favorite charity?
The Baobei Foundation. We’ve been in China a long time and it’s so wonderful to be a part of something that gives back so much. To get to see the difference that this amazing charity makes to so many children is so special and a real privilege. Our children adore getting involved and they learn so much about caring for and helping others.
